Motor vehicle frame alignment measuring mechanism



1951 R. D. SMITH MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME, ALIGNMENT MEASURING MECHANISM 2 Sl-lEETS-SI-IEET 1 Original Filed Sept. 21, 1945 INVENTOR. Rev D. 5mm

R. D. SMITH Nov. 13, I951 MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME ALIGNMENT MEASURING MECHANISM 2 Sl lEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed Sept. 21, 1945 INVENTOR. ROY D. 5mm

Patent No. 2,401,980, referred to above.

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 U N I TED S TATES *PATEN T O F F I CE 2,575,194 MOTOR. VEHICLE FRAME. ALIGNMENT MEASURINGMECHANISM Roy 1). Smith, Pueblo, 0010., assignor "to Bee-Tine oompany seott County, Iowa a partnership Substituted for original aph l icat ion sepjtember 21,

1 945,:Slil Ni). #617,822. Dividedand this 3/1)- rectness of the form of the frame and/or running :gear of a motor vehicle, is a substitute for abandoned application, Serial No. 617,822, filed September 21, 1945, and is in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus shown in my Patent No. 2,070,518, issued February 9, 1937, and

that shown inmy Patent No. 2,401,980, issued June 11, 1946. Like the structure of the latter patent, the present apparatus removes the observation line from beneath the Vehicle to a point at one side thereof, thus making observation much more easy.

One object of this invention isto provide more easily visible targets than those disclosed in my Other objects are the provision of an apparatus by means of which the correctness or incorrectness of location of a motor vehicle axle can be quickly determined, together with the amount of error, if there should prove to be such; the provision of an apparatus by means of which, if a motor vehicle chassis has been distorted from itscorrect angular form, the amount of such distortion -can be easily determined and the correctness of form can be easily shown as soon as it has been reestablished; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities 'as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment o'f this invention and a modified form thereof, I desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and formin a part hereof:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of an apparatus in accordance with my invention in which the three sighting units are shownin alignment;

Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, the motor vehicle frame being shown by broken lines;

Figs. 2A, 2B, and represent, in front elevation, the three targets of the sighting device;

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary longitudinal section of a target supporting bar with a leveling tube shown mounted therein, the same being taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents the preferred form of this apparatus applied to a distorted vehicle frame in "canaua March 10, 1947- 2 Glaims. (oi-.--.-3-'-4e) "pueauon March 24, 1947;Siidl No. 736,711. In

checking what is 'commonly referred to as diamondframe';

Fig. 5 represents the apparatus shown in Fig. '4 as being used to determine the correctness or incorrectness of the location of a vehicle axle withrel'ati'on'to the frame;

Fig. 6:represents a sectional elevation substantially-along the plane indicatedby the line 6-6, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 represents a sectional elevationsubstantially along thezplane'indicated by the line 1-1, Fig.5.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of this invention. The supporting structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,401,980, referredto -above,although there are slight differences. For example, the leveling tube 9 is no longer mounted on top of the supporting bar but, as shown in Fig. 3 of the instant application, it is placed inside of the supporting bar. Also, in the present construction, the supporting 'bar is made up of two-sections l and 2, the latter being hollow and receiving therein the section I, the twobeing secured together. The three supporting-structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are identical but the-sightingdevices differ for area'- sonpresently to be disclosed. The bar I is supported by hangers or abutments 13 which engage the frame members-of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 1, and suspend the bar therefrom. This barhas a :pivot member la. mounted therein on which lever lb is pivoted, as disclosed fullyin my Patent'No. 2,401,980.

Each of the sighting devices comprises a graduated post or standard :3 which extends through openings in the armsaof the U-shaped clip land through the end of the bar 2. A set screw 5 passes through the clip 4 and bears against the standard 3, thus'making possible the vertical adjustment of the sighting device and the 'securement thereof in adjusted position. If the-clipAis put on therbar 2 transversely thereof instead of longitudinally, as shown, the set screw 5will bear againstthesidezof the bar 2 instead of against the standard 3. .In prior devices in which targets or sighting devices are identical, it is difiicult to identify them and know when they are properly aligned. However, as shown in Fig. 2, where the three devices are shown in alignment, it is easy to see the three and identify them. Also, the V-shaped notch in the structure of Fig. 2A is comparable to a gun sight and it is possible to easily and quickly line this up with the cross-wires of the structure shown in Fig. 2B and with the cross-lines of the target shown in Fig. 20. With the sighting devices shown in these drawings, work is made easier and is accelerated.

Reference will now be made to sheet 2 of the drawings for a description of the structure and operation there shown. In this construction, the bars I and 2 are identical with those shown on sheet 1 but bar 2a has a different type of sighting device pivotally mounted at the end thereof to swing in a horizontal direction. This may comprise a telescope or short bar 5 having at its two ends sighting devices such as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, these being mounted for vertical adjustment to bring them and the target 1 into vertical alignment. When the sighting devices 8 and 9 of Figs. 2A and 2B are used, they are preferably pivotally connected to the end of the bar 212 to swing in a horizontal direction, as is clear by a comparison of Figs. 4 and 5. As indicated at H, the edge portion of the sector in is graduated in degrees so that the amount of angle between the axis of the supporting bar I, 2a and the axis of the sector may be read directly from the gaduations l l which cooperates with an indicator mark on the top of the bar 2a.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the connectors l2 through which the hangers l3 pass diifer somewhat from the comparable structure in my Patent No. 2,401,980. These connectors comprise two sleeves secured together at right angles to each other, one of which is for the reception of hanger 13 or hanger 15. The hangers l3 are substantially identical with the hangers M of my Patent No. 2,401,980. A sleeve I6 is adjustably mounted on the hanger l3 and carries a sleeve I! through which the bar 1 passes. It is clear from Figs. 4 and 5 that the supporting bar I may be hung from the vehicle body frame 18, as described in my Patent No. 2,401,980.

It is shown in Figs. 4 and 6 that a bar l4 passes through two connectors l2 supporting a pair of hangers [3, one of them being in position for engagement with a cross-frame member l9, as shown in Fig. 4. If the two bars l4, connected with opposite sides of the vehicle, are adjusted identically in the connectors or sleeves I! through which they pass, the bar I will be parallel to the cross-frame member I9. Now, if the sight line of the sighting device 6 is turned to be intersected by the center of the target 1, this sight line will be parallel with the longitudinal axial line of the vehicle, if the apparatus has been properly set, beforehand, and the frame is straight. However, as is clear from Fig. 4, the indicator on bar 2a will no longer read zero on the scale H, if the vehicle frame has been distorted. This indicates the necessity for forcing the vehicle frame into rectangular form, for which purpose there are many constructions. Because of this fact, it is not necessary to describe the operation of correcting diamond frame."

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7 is used for determining whether the axle housing is at a right angle to the axial line or the vehicle. This apparatus is identical with that above described except that the hanger I5 is provided at its upper end with a hook 2| for engagement over the axle housing 20. Use of this apparatus in the way shown in Figs. 5 and 7 will indicate quickly whether the axle housing has shifted any with relation to the vehicle frame. If it has, then it is necessary to make the correction needed to bring it back into proper position.

It will of course be understood that the specific description of structure set forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth in this specification and the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A sighting device to be used as a part of a gauge in checking the form of a motor vehicle frame and running gear, comprising an elongated bar having adjacent one end a sighting means and' toward the other end a pivot member, said sighting means determining a, line of sight, a pair of abutments to engage the side frame membersof a motor vehicle, said abutments being located on and for sliding movement along said bar upon opposite sides of said pivot member, and means connecting said abutments to said pivot member to insure equal and opposite motion of the abutments when one is moved, said bar having laterally spaced abutment means extending transversely of the bar and adapted to engage a fixed part of the vehicle and hold the bar spaced from said part and parallel thereto, the sighting means on said bar being pivotally connected thereto adjacent one end thereof and being provided with means for determining the angular relation between the axis of the bar and the line of sight of the sighting means.

2. Sighting means for use in motor vehicle gauging, comprising an elongated bar for suspension beneath the vehicle, said bar having an opening through an end thereof which is to protrude beyond the side of the vehicle when in use, a clip engaging about the apertured end of the bar and having openings therethrough which align with the opening in the bar, a target having a standard extending through the openings in the bar and clip, and a set screw passing through the clip and engaging said bar and holding the standard in adjusted position with relation to the bar.

ROY D. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,455 Kinkead Oct. 29, 1901 958,736 Ferris May 24, 1910 1,336,010 Wingate Apr. 6, 1920 1,401,200 Smith Dec. 27, 1921 1,903,333 Botel Apr. 4, 1933 2,000,866 Smith May 7, 1935 2,070,518 Smith Feb. 9, 1937 2,401,980 Smith June 11, 1946 

